Cactus tincture recipes, Maltese Baitra and tequila

…and not even one! Don’t worry, connoisseurs of mezcal and agave professors! Today we’re not talking about tequila. But they also make alcohol from the regulars of the South American deserts and office window sills. Meet: liqueurs, liqueurs, prickly pear beer, as well as recipes for cactus tinctures and even homemade tequila!

…and not even one! Don’t worry, connoisseurs of mezcal and agave professors! Today we will not talk about tequila – we all know very well that Agave tequilana, from which it is made, is not a cactus, but a close relative of asparagus, lily of the valley and hyacinth. All this is detailed in this article. But regulars in the South American deserts and office window sills also make alcohol, and in some places it is considered a real regional brand! Meet: liqueurs, liqueurs, prickly pear beer, as well as recipes for cactus tinctures and even homemade tequila!

Prickly pear drinks. And in the desert there is something to wet your throat!

As far as alcoholic and non-alcoholic drinks are concerned, prickly pear can be safely called the “king” of cacti, and especially its subspecies Opuntia ficus-indica, it is also “Indian prickly pear”, it is also “Indian fig”. This plant has long been cultivated in Mexico, now it can also be found in the Mediterranean and even in the Crimea. And in our latitudes, prickly pear has taken root perfectly in all kinds of flowerpots, pots and pots – an exotic appearance and unpretentiousness make it a wonderful home “flower”.

Indians have been eating prickly pear for a long time. The stems are baked, stewed or boiled. The fruits (those very bright “buns” at the ends of the stems) are eaten just like that – of course, without thorns – they are dried, baked, seasonings and even jam are made from them. Even in pre-Columbian times, the alcoholic drink “colinque” was known – a kind of mash made from overripe fruits rich in sugar, which the Indians consumed with hunting and in large quantities (see the article “How to drink like an Indian?”). How can one not remember the saying: “a man is not a cactus, he needs to drink”!

Not every, however, cactus is suitable for the sacred process of preparing the Mexican cult drink. Why sacred, one must ask Montezuma. He seemed like a decent man, the emperor.

Vladimir Kazakov

And the most famous licensed cactus alcoholic drink is Baitra liqueur, which is not made in Mexico, but in Malta, where prickly pear has been cultivated since the 21th century. “Bajtra” is considered almost the national pride of Malta, it is rarely seen on sale outside the island, so tourists always strive to take a couple of bottles of this exotic drink with them. Several companies make Baytra at once: Zeppi’s, AMBROSIA, Ogygia and others, the strength of the liquor is XNUMX °. Baitra is said to pair especially well with sparkling wines. Why not rephrase Severyanin and write your own ode to “Cacti in Champagne”?

The cactus liqueur recipe is easy to repeat at home – below it will be written exactly how to do it.

Prickly pear, like agave, contains a very large amount of fructose, so sweetener syrups are made from it, which can be consumed by diabetics. Last year, this fact was inspired by the Czechs, who made … diet beer from a cactus! Dried and chopped “Indian fig” ordered from Mexico went into action. An experimental batch of 40 bottles was exported to South America. If the product is in demand “at home”, we may soon see it on the shelves of supermarkets in Russia and Ukraine.

Do-it-yourself alcoholic drink from a cactus. Delicious, original and even healthy!

On the Internet, there is such a “recipe” for a cactus drink. For its preparation:

1. A full glass of vodka is taken.
2. The cactus is dug out of the pot, freed from thorns and skin.
3. Juice is squeezed into a glass of vodka.
4. The drink is drunk immediately, in large sips and with pleasure.
5. In the absence of a cactus, you can do without points 2 and 3.

This is, of course, humor. I personally remember my friend trying to make a “pulque” out of a mastodon indoor echinopsis. The plant had a heroic but senseless death – its fibrous innards yielded absolutely no sap. But the first mistake was precisely in choosing a cactus! Take my comrade prickly pear – you look, at least something, but it would work!

And now – the real recipe for an alcoholic drink from the prickly pear cactus – the Maltese Baitra.

You will need:

• 750 ml of vodka (or 50% alcohol);
• 150 ml of cognac (you can just take 900 ml of vodka);
• 600 grams of juicy, fresh prickly pear pulp;
• 300 grams of sugar or powdered sugar;
• 2 sachets (16 grams) vanilla sugar
• 1-2 cinnamon sticks;
• 3-4 cloves;
• a cup of orange juice (freshly squeezed).

Preparation:

1. Prickly pear fruits are carefully peeled with all thorns. To protect yourself from injections, you can use gardening or other thick gloves.
2. The pulp is cut into slices or cubes 3-4 centimeters thick.
3. The resulting pieces are poured into a large jar, sugar and spices are poured on top, alcohol and orange juice are poured.
4. The jar goes to a dark and cool place. On the second day, its contents must be mixed to allow the sugar to disperse, after that – do not shake, otherwise turbidity will appear in the liquid!
5. After 3-4 weeks, strain the drink and filter several times: first through gauze, then, to achieve absolute transparency, through a thin cloth.

It is recommended to drink chilled, both clean and as part of various cocktails.

Homemade “tequila” – a simple tincture of aloe!

If prickly pear is far from being found in every home, then such a plant as aloe – agave – is certainly not difficult to find. Aloe vera is not a cactus, it is a relative of the agave, together they are in the Asparagaceae family. A concentrated alcohol infusion of agave can be harmful to the body, and besides, it is terribly bitter, so you should not get carried away, 1-2 leaves per liter of vodka will be more than enough. They say that the taste of aloe tincture resembles the taste of tequila, and the color of the finished drink is the same as that of Tequila gold.

For cooking, you will need:

• a liter of vodka, moonshine or 50-degree alcohol;
• 50 grams of aloe;
• 1 a teaspoon of sugar.

Preparation:

1. Peel aloe from thorns, cut into small cubes, put in a jar.
2. Pour sugar and pour vodka.
3. Close the jar, shake it well and send it to infuse for two weeks in a cool dark place.
4. If during the infusion process the liquid does not change color from green to golden, put the jar in a well-lit place. The sun’s rays will break down chlorophyll, “tequila” will acquire the desired color, up to transparent.
5. Filter the liquid through gauze, and then through cotton swabs.
6. If the taste is too bitter, you can add sugar syrup.

Homemade “tequila” can surprise guests, as well as strengthen immunity, cure sore throats, bronchitis and respiratory diseases. Just remember – pregnant women, allergy sufferers and people with diseases of the stomach, kidneys, CCC should not drink such a drink!